Independent Writing
Question#11
Deborah says, “But I always have thought it was strange, if our mother cells done so much for medicine,
how come her family can’t afford to see no doctors? Don’t make no sense” (page 9). Should the family be
financially compensated for the HeLa cells? If so, who do you believe that money should come from? Do you
feel the Lacks deserve health insurance even though they can’t afford it? How would you respond if you were
in their situation?
Outline
I. “The immortal cells “HeLa” come from Henrietta Lacks, these
cells have great influence in medical.”
II. “Deborah is Henrietta Lacks’ fourth children, who got sick
but don’t offer to see doctor because she is
poor.”
III. “Lacks family should be financially compensated for the
Hela cells, they can get money from who had get benefit from “Hela”
cells.”
Essay
The immortal cells “HeLa” come from Henrietta Lacks, these cells
have great influence in medicine. In the story, Doctor Gey took the cells from
Henrietta Lacks’ body, and let them cells grew up in the lab. These cells are
amazing, and they are also different from other cells, they are immortal. They
reproduced an entire generation every twenty four hours, and they never
stopped. In the book, Defler said, ‘’HeLa cells were one of the most important
things that happened to medicine in the last hundred years.’’(page4) According
to Defler, HeLa cells have great influence in the world. Skloot also said,
“HeLa cells were omnipresent.”(page5) That means HeLa cells are everywhere. This
information shows us HeLa cells are very important, they have great influence
in medicine.
Deborah is Henrietta Lacks’ fourth child, she got sick but wasn’t able to
see the doctor because she is poor. Deborah was a deeply religious black
Christian from the south. She grew up in a black neighborhood that was one of
the poorest and most dangerous in the country. Deborah is abused by Ethel when
she was young, and she was also harassed by Galen at the same time. In the
story, author writes: “like her brothers, she’d always struggled in school
because she couldn’t hear the teacher. None of the Lacks children could hear
much unless the person speaking was nearby, talking loud and slow.”(page116)
That shows us Deborah also had hearing problems, like all Lacks children have.
In the book, Deborah said: But I always have though it was strange, if our
mother cells done so much for medicine, how come her family can’t afford to see
no doctors? (Deborah’s Voice)It was very ironic. One reason I feel this way is
because Hela cells had a great influence on medicine and some people have
gotten rich because of these cells. The Lacks family didn’t get anything, they
can’t even afford to see any doctors.
The Lacks family should be financially compensated for the Hela
cells, they can get money from people had benefit from “Hela” cells. Like Samuel Reader
and Monroe Vincent. Samuel Reader is the owner of Microbiological Associates, and Monroe
is his business partner. They successfully produce the Hela cells and grow up in their cell factory.
Because many scientists needed cells, but few had the time or ability to grow them in the Lab.
Reader and Vincent sell these Hela cells for them to get money. They gain a lot of money from their
Hela factory. They should give some money to the Lacks family. If they do not compensate the
Lacks family, they have to offer them to see doctors when Lacks family have illness, or give
the health insurance for the Lacks family. If I were in their situation, I would sue to get benefit to
our family, at least we can see doctor when we have illness and we don’t have to worry about
money. In conclusion, the Lacks family should get grant money or medical aid from “Hela” cell.